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  Recording apparatusUSPTO Application #: 20060238567Title: Recording apparatus Abstract: A recording apparatus including a recording head detachably attached on a carriage and a preliminary-discharge receiving unit. The recording head is movable such that an ink discharge surface is movable by a detachable/attachable moving distance in the direction of ink discharge when the recording head is detached from and attached to the carriage. The preliminary-discharge receiving unit is formed such that the distance to the ink discharge surface of the recording head attached on the carriage is set to be a predetermined preliminary discharge distance. The detachable/attachable moving distance is larger than the preliminary discharge distance. (end of abstract)
Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division - Irvine, CA, US Inventors: Takeshi Sekino, Hisashi Taniguchi USPTO Applicaton #: 20060238567 - Class: 347037000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060238567. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording an image and the like on a recording medium (e.g., recording paper). In particular, the present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording by discharging ink droplets from a recording head detachably attached on a carriage which is movable along the recording medium. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Art [0004] Recently, as personal computers and digital cameras have become widespread, the handleability of image information has been increased, thus increasing the demand for uncomplicated recording apparatuses used to output such image information. Among various recording methods used in such recording apparatuses, inkjet recording is known as a recording method that allows a relatively small recording apparatus and achieves inexpensive and high-definition recording. [0005] In a recording apparatus using such an inkjet recording method, an inkjet head cartridge, in which a recording head having a nozzle portion composed of several tens to several hundreds of discharge openings and an ink tank for supplying ink to the recording head are integrally formed with each other, is detachably attached to a carriage. The carriage is connected to a part of a driving belt for transmitting a driving force of a carriage driving motor so as to be movable. The movement of the carriage moves the inkjet head cartridge along a platen arranged opposite a discharge surface. During the movement, the inkjet head cartridge reciprocates (scans) along the full width of a recording medium transported onto the platen to perform recording. The recording medium is conveyed a predetermined distance determined according to the pitch of the nozzle portion by a conveying unit with every scanning of the carriage. Repeating such a scanning of the carriage and a conveyance of the recording paper completes recording on the entire area of the recording medium. [0006] Some inkjet recording apparatuses using a recording unit (e.g., recording head or inkjet head cartridge) detachably attached on a carriage, when ink within an ink tank runs out or the recording head is broken, can easily return to a state capable of recording by replacing the recording unit with a new one. [0007] Furthermore, some inkjet recording apparatuses can output (record) a photographic image with good photographic quality by including high-density and high-quality discharge openings (nozzles) for discharging ink on, for example, a recording head integrally formed with an inkjet head cartridge. Moreover, some inkjet recording apparatuses have become widely available in which the speed of an image output is further enhanced by a long recording head having an increased number of nozzles. [0008] Some conventional inkjet recording apparatuses typically eliminate clogging (e.g., paper dust or thickened ink within nozzles) by moving a recording head to a preliminary discharge position after recovery processing performed by a recovery unit or when a carriage scans during recording and then performing preliminary discharge predetermined times in order to maintain the quality of recording by the recording head. At the preliminary discharge position, a waste-ink absorber is arranged opposite a nozzle surface so that the waste-ink absorber absorbs ink droplets dropped by performing preliminary discharge toward a preliminary-discharge receiving opening. [0009] The conventional structure has a problem of accumulation of crud inside the apparatus caused by ink mist splashing off the preliminary-discharge receiving opening and ink mist flowing and spreading from between the preliminary discharge receiving opening and the waste-ink absorber and crud inside the apparatus caused by ink mist generated while a recording paper is recorded on. [0010] As one approach to address the problem, a structure that suppresses the generation of ink mist by providing a waste-ink absorber and a preliminary discharge receiving mechanism that can control the flow of ink mist is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,189. [0011] However, the conventional preliminary discharge receiving mechanism discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,189 may have a problem of a significantly large unevenness of obtained advantageous effects because the control of the flow of ink mist depends on the characteristics of a material of the waste-ink absorber and the acuteness of an incident angle of an ink droplet against the surface of the waste-ink absorber. Additionally, this traditional structure may have the drawback of a high cost of manufacturing because the waste-ink absorber is limited to a significantly narrow range of materials. [0012] Furthermore, the conventional inkjet recording apparatus described above is prone to generate ink mist because the apparatus absorbs ink mist due to a preliminary-discharge receiving opening arranged in a platen, in which the gap between the platen and a recording head is relatively large, and therefore, the travel distance of ink droplets through the air from a nozzle portion to the preliminary-discharge receiving opening is increased. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0013] The present invention is directed to a recording apparatus, a preliminary-discharge receiving unit, and a recording head that are capable of reducing the generation of ink mist with an inexpensive and simple structure. [0014] According to one aspect of the present invention, a recording apparatus includes a carriage capable of reciprocating with respect to a recording medium, a recording head detachably attached on the carriage, the recording head being movable such that an ink discharge surface of the recording head is movable by a first moving distance in a direction of ink discharge when the recording head is detached from or attached to the carriage, and a preliminary-discharge receiving unit disposed at a position opposite the ink discharge surface of the recording head when the recording head attached on the carriage moves to a preliminary discharge position for performing preliminary discharge. A distance between the preliminary-discharge receiving unit and the ink discharge surface is smaller than the first moving distance. The preliminary-discharge receiving unit is movable in the direction of the ink discharge. The preliminary-discharge receiving unit is in contact with the ink discharge surface and moves in a direction remote from the carriage when the recording head is detached or attached. [0015] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a general structure of an inkjet recording apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. [0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a carriage and an inkjet head cartridge attached on the carriage. [0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carriage before the inkjet head cartridge is attached thereto. [0019] FIGS. 4A and 4B are perspective views of the inkjet head cartridge. [0020] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a preliminary-discharge receiving unit and its surroundings in the inkjet recording apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. [0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the preliminary-discharge receiving unit. Continue reading... Full patent description for Recording apparatus Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Recording apparatus patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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